Spark intensifier



Jams. 1925. 1,522,303 'F E. KUNZMAN y SPARK INTENSIFIER vFiled Feb. 2l,1923 Patented Jan. 6, 1925i.

FLOYD n. KUNZMAN,

or aoHNsNcIrY, NEW YORK, AAssreivoa ro 'SAMUEL n.V LEAD- snaren; or...'ojHNsoN CITY, kNEW YORK.

SPARK vIivrsivs,Irina To a-ZZ whom it mmf cof/wcm:

` Be* it known that l, FLOYD a citizen of the United States, residing atJohnson City, in-thecounty Of Broome and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Intensifiers', ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to spark in tensiiiers designed tomaterially intensify the voltage of the current flowing through theintensifier to produce an increased spark where the latter is wanted.

If a current of electricity be caused to traverse a conducting path andthe continuity of such path be broken at a given point, the voltage ofthe current of electricity flowing through the path will be largelymagnified with the result that a correspondingly magnified spark isproduced, such increased spark being readily apparent at the sparkingpoints of the spark plug used with the result that the-spark obtained isvery materially magnified or fattened with the result that a much morepronounced spark at the spark points of the spark plug, is obtainedAwith increased effect so that a much more certain explosion occurs thanwhen the intensifier is absent.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding thatthe invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showingof the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changesand modifications mark no material departure from the salient featuresof the invention as expressed in the ap ended claims.

n the drawings Figure l is a plan view of the intensifier attachment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the intensifier attachment as applied incircuit with a spark plug and one of the circuit terminals thereof.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a spark plug 1 which may betaken as typical of any approved type of spark plug such as is employedin connection with explosion enginesandghence yno;Jparticulardescription E.. KUNZMAN,

thereof is needed.

' Associated.l w-ithnthespark plug l is a block 2 of insulation,-` such-.foninstance ask hard rubber or vulcan-iaed...lib'er; or.l Aseme .sother i suchi mater-iai.

AFnnterfifnga tire-.block 2, there.y are arranged two conducting strands8, 4. These two strands are spaced apart lengthwise of the block 2, witheach strand intermediate its ends, being bent to provide entering andleavinglegs 5, 6, separated by a space greater than the jumping distanceof the current employed, with each strand having one end fixed. Theouter end terminals 7 are provided with ring members' for connection toa source of current of suitable character to cause the jumping of aspark between overlapping terminals 8 which are within sparking'distance of each other and each of these terminals 8 are of arcuatecontour and disposed at an angle with respect to the surface of the body2 in which the intermediate portions are embedded, both. surfaces ofwhich body are covered with a sheet 9 of vulcanized rubber or some othersuitable insulating material.

The terminals 8 are curved relative one to the other to bring them wellwithin the sparking distance, while the portions of the conductorsy 3,4, 5 and 6 where they are exposed are far enough apartto prevent thejumping of the spark between them in' preference to passing between theend terminal portions 8 which are separated only by air insulation andnot Vby the composition ofthe block 2.

By providing the conductors 3 and 4 with terminals 8 in the mannerdescribed, the difference of potential between any near points of theseconductors is too small to cause the jumping of the current except atthe extremities of the terminals 8 so that there is no danger ofsacrificing any of the advantages of the arrangement vof the terminals,and consequently the spark will jump at only the point between the closeapproach of the terminals 8.

What is claimed is k1. In a spark intensifier, a body of insulation,conducting elements each having a portion intermediate its ends embeddedin said body, the inner end terminal portion of each of said elementsbeing of arcuate contour and disposed at an angle with respect to thesurface of the body in which the intermediate portion is embedded, saidterminal portions further being spaced one from the other to provide aspark gap, and attaching means for said elements carried at the outerends thereof, the said intermediate embedded portion of each elementbeing positioned within the body of insulation at the longitudinalcenter thereof, and each embedded portion further being located betweenthe center and ends of its respective portion of the body, the innerendr terminal portion further extending in opposite directions andoffset with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the body. Y

2. In a sparkA intensifier, a body of insulation, conducting elementshaving a portion intermediate its ends embedded in said body, the innerend terminal portion of each of said elements being of arcuate contourand disposed at an angle with respect to the surface of the body inwhich the intermediate portion is embedded, said inner end terminalportions further being in overlapped relation one to the other andoffset with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the block anddirected inwardly and downwardly toward the longitudinal center of thebody to provide a spark gap, and attaching means for said elementscarried at the outer ends thereof.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

FLOYD E. KUNZMAN.

